I think all capitals need a reason to exist. I think that most of the races start near IF and Stormwind. So that's a reason why Stormwind is usually filled. Ironforge is more filled than Exodar. Blizzard would have to force other players to travel to other cities or at least give better incentive. I think its more of player choice to subside in stormwind... even though it does have more incentive to be there as well. (Cata portals, Mists portals, the start of the next expansion quests... etc.)

Really Blizzard should just give equal distribution of all portals and quests in these cities and then give a unique flair and incentive to each.

It's not like Stormwind's exactly been featured in major storylines either, and even if it was that has nothing to do with it being a ghost town.

Do we play the same game? Stormwind was attacked by Deathwing (major storyline), has the harbor connecting to Northrend and Vash'jir (minor story line), all the portals from Cataclysm, profession dailies.

It is, didn't you hear WoD is all about dwarves!... no wait.. we got orcs yet again, my bad.

this comment is kind of ironic considering blizzard has already said the dark irons are going through the portal with us and will feature heavily in warlords

"I was a normal baby for 30 seconds, then ninjas stole my mamma" - Deadpool
"so what do we do?" "well jack, you stand there and say 'gee rocket raccoon I'm so glad you brought that Unfeasibly large cannon with you..' and i go like this BRAKKA BRAKKA BRAKKA" - Rocket Raccoon

They just said the Dark Iron Dwarves are going through the portal, not that they would be featured heavily.

which means they will be featured heavily.

theres only a handful of people coming through the portal. if a good bit of them are dark irons theres going to be alot of dark iron story

"I was a normal baby for 30 seconds, then ninjas stole my mamma" - Deadpool
"so what do we do?" "well jack, you stand there and say 'gee rocket raccoon I'm so glad you brought that Unfeasibly large cannon with you..' and i go like this BRAKKA BRAKKA BRAKKA" - Rocket Raccoon

As someone who's actually stopping to think "Where can the story go from here and how could Ironforge be the center of at least a patch" ... yeah there's virtually nothing they can do in WoD and potentially ever again without a major "continuous invasion expansion." Like,

"We've freed Stormwind from the [You]."
"Sir! The [Face] have taken shelter in the Deeprun Tram and closed it off from our side!"
"Ironforge! We have to warn the Council of Three Hammers before the [Jaraxxas] reach them!"
*gameplay cinematic of [Inferno]s slinking through the shadows around the city before some gigantic [Flesh Trombone]s are seen kicking open the door to the council*
"Not this day [Banished to The Nether]!"
*screams heard from behind and futuristic sound effects*
"[Trifling Gnome]!"

So... you like dwarves. Gnomes not so much. And since there is going so much Exodar & Darnassus action you want some ironforge action as well? I can see you!

well IF already got the underside of it opened up, but hey it made glitching through that wall amazingly easy(the door is opened now!)
darnasus hasn't seen love in...forever...last thing it got was a tree put in, and a snazzy portal(which every town got)

no...IF got a whole new area added in basically, exodar is better as well...

and why didn't deathwing commit genocide against the nelfs?

i mean...a huge tree with plenty of people up in the branches is a perfect target for a few firebombs?